With Cap Space to Spare, Kraken Need to Upgrade Offense
The NHL offseason has hit the dog days. Gone are the draft and the initial wave of free agency. The Seattle Kraken made a flurry of moves early, trading for and then extending Mackie Samoskevich and re-signing deadline acquisition Bobby McMann. They added physical forward Curtis Douglas as well, likely to be towards the bottom of the lineup.
What they still lack is a true, proven difference maker. That still can come from their own ranks, like Matty Beniers, Berkly Catton, or Kaapo Kakko. But it feels like the Kraken are going to continue to spin their tires in the mud until either one rises to the occasion or they bring in a mercenary who can get the puck in the net.
According to PuckPedia, the Kraken have the second-most cap space at the moment, with $18.41 million still at their disposal. They also have the least amount of their cap tied up in money toward forwards in the entire NHL. For reference, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes rank third in that category. It pays to have forwards who score goals and get paid.
Two veteran free agents remain available for anyone, including the Kraken, to sign.
Analysis: Which Kraken Prospects Will Earn a Spot in 2027 World Junior Championships?
Five Seattle Kraken prospects participated at last week’s World Junior Summer Showcase, but it remains to be seen how many of those players will make their country’s 2027 World Junior Championships roster this December.
The WJC features 10 nations and their best under-20 players. The 2027 WJC begins on December 26 later this year. Last week’s WJSS gave USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland an opportunity to face one another and assess their projected rosters.
At the Windsor, Ontario showcase, recent seventh overall pick Chase Reid returned as the top Team USA defenseman while 2025 seventh-rounder Loke Krantz had an elevated role as one of few returning players for Team Sweden. Jake O’Brien was not at the tournament, but should make Team Canada.
Other Kraken prospects such as USA’s Blake Fiddler and Casey Mutryn and Sweden’s Ola Palme were invited to the showcase, but aren’t expected to make their country’s WJC roster this December.
Analysis: Entering Rookie AHL Season, What’s Jake O’Brien’s NHL Future With Kraken?
Even though he missed 15 games due to injury, Jake O’Brien led the OHL in assists last season. As a 19-year-old, he is now eligible to make the jump to the AHL next season under the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement.
What does the Seattle Kraken’s 2025 first-rounder do at an elite level? How can he improve? Is he ticketed for the Coachella Valley Firebirds next season? His Brantford Bulldogs assistant coach Vince Laise and Dobber Prospects scout Alex Wyatt weighed in, taking a closer look at the prospect as he works to get closer to making his NHL debut.
In 53 games last season, O’Brien put up 28 goals and a team-leading 93 points. The last two seasons, O’Brien has had the OHL’s leading goal scorer on his wing. While that’s in part because Brantford built a talented roster that went deep in the OHL playoffs the last two seasons, it’s also because O’Brien’s a top-tier playmaker. Three-quarters of O’Brien’s assists were primary assists last season.
“He didn't look like he was trying to force something,” Wyatt wrote. “He wasn't playing the [video game] version of hockey where he's just whipping in these passes that end up losing possession. He played a more mature game. He slowed things down a little bit, and that gave the team time to get ready for those passes to mean something.”
Kraken the Ice: Is Seattle Thinking Playoffs After Roster Overhaul This Offseason?
Coming up short of a playoff berth last season, the Kraken hope that a handful of moves to shake up their roster this offseason will take them back to the postseason, including trading for Mackie Samoskevich. But did they do enough to get back into the fight for Lord Stanley's cup?
Emerald City Spectrum writers Nick Lee and Josh Frojelin discuss Seattle's potential playoff prospects as the offseason continues in the NHL and if the team has done enough to be a threat in the Pacific Division, check in on the moves made by the rest of the division over the past few months, and examine possible sale candidates at the next year's deadline if Seattle fails to contend.
Analysis: Entering Contract Year With Kraken, What’s Jared McCann’s Long-Term Future Look Like?
A great goal-scoring winger, Jared McCann has flourished in an increased role since he joined the Seattle Kraken in their inaugural season. Over the last four seasons, he’s scored at a minimum of a 60-point pace. McCann even scored 40 goals four seasons ago.
But as an unrestricted free agent next offseason, his return to the Emerald City beyond the 2026-27 season remains uncertain. On the wing, the Kraken also have captain Jordan Eberle, recently-acquired Mackie Samoskevich, recently re-signed Bobby McMann, Kaapo Kakko, and top youngster Berkly Catton, creating a log-jam at the position.
Besides Eberle, McCann is the oldest of that group. He’s also the only winger without a contract beyond next season. Catton could eventually move back to center, but is best suited as a winger as of now. During his exit interview, McCann emphasized that he’s trying to help Seattle’s less experienced players, and that leadership may help his cause seeking another contract with the franchise.
“The young guys, I’m trying to help them as much as possible,” McCann said. “Tried to help them as much as I could this year, with growing. I feel like they’re a huge part of this organization moving forward. They’re gonna be the stepping stones to whatever happens [in the future].”
Instant Takeaways: Kraken Announce 2026-27 Schedule, Including Pair of Games in Finland
The Seattle Kraken will have two games in Finland, two tough road trips, and a rough end-of-season schedule in 2026-27.
Today, the NHL announced the full, 84-game schedule for every NHL team. The Kraken season begins on the road against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 1. After two games in Alberta, Seattle hosts their first home game on Oct. 4, also against the Flames.
Kraken Need Bounce-Back Season From Goalie Joey Daccord
There has been much discussion on how the Seattle Kraken can improve this offseason from their disappointing 34-37-11 season. From possible trades, free agent signings, the internal audit of the organization, and the draft, the fanbase has many opinions on what must be done for Seattle to turn the corner and get back to the playoffs.
One thing that is flying under the radar among the persistent Shane Wright trade rumors and free agency is the underwhelming performance of goalie Joey Daccord last year.
Daccord signed a five-year, $25 million contract ahead of the 2024-2025 season after showing flashes of brilliance the year before. He followed that up with a solid campaign, finishing eighth in the NHL in quality starts and 10th in saves. By most metrics, he was a top-half-of-the-league goalie. He had fully taken the starting job from Philipp Grubauer and made the Kraken look smart to give him that extension.
Then, last season happened. For whatever reason, things did not click as well for Daccord in 2025-26.
Kraken the Ice: Could Seattle Explore Reunion With Original Team Member?
Armed with ample cap space coming out of the draft, even following the initial waves of free agency, the Seattle Kraken still have the resources in place to make several moves to improve their roster. Could bringing back a member of the inaugural team be in the cards?
Emerald City Spectrum writer Nick Lee dives into Seattle's cap situation and why it is time for the franchise to take action, including potentially bringing back Carson Soucy, before revisiting Shane Wright trade rumors and investigating two teams that could make the most sense to maximize their return for the former No. 4 overall pick.
Trade Proposals: What Can Kraken Fetch in Return for Shane Wright?
According to multiple reports, first kicked off by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet.CA, the Seattle Kraken intend to trade center Shane Wright sometime this offseason.
Friedman quoted Wright’s agent saying, “I can confirm that we have had positive conversations with GM Jason Botterill, and he has agreed to move Shane this summer to a team in need of a top young centre.”
Unfortunately for the Kraken, if a deal does materialize, which isn’t as much of a given as Wright’s agent hinted, their leverage is compromised due to this report. Still, for a player who is not yet 23 years old and a former No. 4 overall pick who still has untapped upside, Seattle should be able to get some value in a trade package. Teams will bank on their own player development skills to get the most of a talent such as Wright. That should be tantalizing enough to garner a modest return at worst.
Let’s take a look at three possible trade scenarios for Seattle to move Wright in coming weeks.
Analysis: If Kraken Trade Shane Wright, Who Replaces Him?
Shane Wright’s time in Seattle could be over. Or at least it looks that way.
Last week, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Seattle Kraken were working together with Wright’s agent Kurt Overhardt on a trade. Wright is entering his third full NHL season and took a step back in his production last season with 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games, far from the numbers the franchise was counting on from the former top-five selection.
Yesterday on his 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said that he got some push back on the rumor, but still believes the 22-year-old center will be traded this summer.
“It was pretty clear from talking to other teams that it’s not a guarantee from the Kraken,” the NHL insider said. “They’re not going to just do it to do it. They want to get something fair in return… But it’s clear that we’re headed in this direction.”
Kraken Lock Up Mackie Samoskevich, Take Low-Risk Bet on Top-Six Upside
After sending a 2027 first round pick to the Florida Panthers on June 21 to acquire the talented forward, the Seattle Kraken signed Mackie Samoskevich to a three-year, $11.55-million deal on Wednesday, securing the restricted free agent through the 2028-29 season.
When the contract expires in the Summer of 2029, Samoskevich will still be a restricted free agent, giving Seattle additional club control. While the 24th overall pick in 2021 hasn’t popped as a star in the NHL yet, signing him for three years at a reasonable cap hit is a good bet on a player of this quality who has contributed for a Stanley Cup champion.
Serving as a key role player for Florida in his first three seasons, Samoskevich should flourish with a greater opportunity with the Kraken next season and might earn a top-six forward role with consistent power play minutes.
After 2026 NHL Draft, Kraken Defense Gets Much-Needed Overhaul
The prevailing feeling when the Seattle Kraken entered the 2026 NHL Draft was that they were going to pick a defensive player or two. They have a healthy crop of forwards developing, but the gap between their talent in forwards and defenseman was as vast as the Puget Sound itself.
After the 2026 NHL Draft, that gap got a lot smaller, if it didn’t close altogether. First, standout USA Junior Hockey star Chase Reid fell right into their laps at No. 7 overall. Many well-respected pundits had Reid as the top blue-liner in this draft class, expecting him to be long gone by the time the Kraken were on the clock in Buffalo. With just that pick alone, even if he’s going to play at Michigan State for a year or two, the outlook of Seattle’s defense over the next several years gets a huge boost.
The Kraken are still searching for their “north star” player that they develop into a true needle-mover for the organization. Reid could be that guy in a year or two with more seasoning playing against top competition in the Big Ten, including the likes of rival Michigan and Wisconsin. He has just about every tool in the kit to be a successful, productive NHL blue-liner. General manager Jason Botterill and company didn’t stop there either.
WATCH: Breaking Down Chase Reid, Kraken’s Exciting 2026 Draft Class
With the 2026 NHL Draft now in the books, Emerald City Spectrum reporter Josh Frojelin takes a deep dive into each of the Kraken's newest roster additions, including top-10 talent Chase Reid and a handful of mid-round prospects offering intrigue for the future of the franchise.
Analysis: Chase Reid to Kraken Could Prove to be Steal of 2026 NHL Draft
The Seattle Kraken selected Chase Reid with the seventh overall pick in the opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft. And it’s not hyperbole: the Michigan native might have been the best defenseman available in the draft as a whole, making his selection one that could prove to be an incredible value for the franchise down the line.
Reid was ranked as the best player in the draft by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman and third by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Elite Prospects, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis, and FloHockey’s Chris Peters. Regardless of overall ranking, he was the top defenseman, according to all those scouts/media outlets. The Kraken, who have never selected a defenseman in the first-round in the franchise’s history, made him the fourth defenseman selected on Friday night.
“Right-handed shot defensemen are in demand in the National Hockey League,” Kraken general manager Jason Botterill told reporters after the first-round of the NHL Draft. “But overall, just how he plays. When you watch video of him, Chase always has his head up. He has a nice combination of being able to skate his way out of trouble. He also has his head up nonstop to make a quick outlet play.”
Why did Reid fall? That will be a question that remains unanswered for some time. He made a meteoric rise up the junior ranks the last two seasons. The Michigan State University commit was cut from his 2024-25 team in the USHL. He caught on with the Bismarck Bobcats in the NAHL, the second tier of USA junior hockey. He was later added by the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL and put up a point-per-game season, improving as much as any prospect in the country. Fast forward to his draft year, he tallied 18 goals and 48 points in 45 games.
Kraken Make History, Select Chase Reid With No. 7 Overall Pick in 2026 NHL Draft
It’s been a somewhat challenging past 24 hours for the Seattle Kraken, who reportedly had the framework for a blockbuster sign-and-trade to acquire Dallas Stars star Jason Robertson in place on Thursday, only for the player to decline a reported eight-year, $15 million contract offer to veto the deal.
Fortunately for the Kraken, however, good fortunes appeared to smile on the franchise in Friday night’s opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft. Benefiting from a bit of good luck for a change, general manager Jason Botterill reeled in one of the best defensemen in a strong draft class by investing the No. 7 overall pick in Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) standout Chase Reid, securing a player who many expected to be gone in the first four or five picks.
The selection of Reid carries significance history-wise for Seattle, marking the first time in six drafts that the organization has selected a defenseman in the first round. And, in time, they will be hoping his arrival coincides with greater success on the ice in the near future.
NHL Mock Draft: Kraken Address Defensive Pipeline, Swing on Upside
The Seattle Kraken enter the 2026 NHL Draft already boasting a top prospect pool in the NHL. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler rated the pool as seventh in the NHL, propped up by young forwards like Berkley Catton, Jake O’Brien, and Jagger Firkus. Plus, the Kraken already receive key NHL contributions from recent top picks like Matty Beniers and Shane Wright.
But, those contributions haven’t been enough. After all, the Kraken select seventh overall in Friday’s opening round because they won only three of their final 16 games and finished 27th in the NHL. They enter the draft with seven picks, including picks No. 7, 38, 99, and 102.
The Kraken, of course, could use any of their seven picks this draft to trade up-and-down the board as they see fit. Or, they could use the picks to address needs on the current NHL roster. But with four picks in the first four rounds, the Kraken can address a large need at defense and take meaningful swings on high-upside prospects.
Interestingly, the Kraken have never selected a defenseman in the first round of the NHL Draft since their inception in 2021. This year’s class has a consensus of Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Alberts Smits, and Keaton Verhoeff as the top four defenseman, opening the door for at least one of those players to be available when Seattle comes on the clock.
Is this the year the Kraken draft a blue chip defensive prospect in the opening round? Or will they go a different direction?
Bobby McMann Excited to Re-Up With Kraken, Bring ‘Winning Hockey’ Back to Seattle
Checking off one of their biggest boxes as the 2026 NHL Draft approaches, the Seattle Kraken re-signed winger Bobby McMann to a six-year, $34.5 million contract on Monday as general manager Jason Botterill locked up the trade deadline acquisition for the long haul following a successful second half with the franchise.
Though the Kraken sputtered in the win/loss column after his arrival from Toronto and recorded just two regulation wins after the trade, McMann tallied 10 goals and 14 points in 18 games with the Kraken. It certainly wasn’t his fault that Seattle plummeted from a playoff hopeful to selecting seventh overall in the upcoming draft, and Botterill and the front office made it a priority to ensure he remained long term.
"Re-signing (McMann) was a priority this summer,” Botterill said after the signing was announced via Seattle’s team website. “He made an immediate impact in our lineup with his size, speed, and goal scoring. There's a lot to love about his game. We're thrilled he wants to call Seattle home for years to come."
By locking up the 30-year-old McMann and acquiring 23-year-old Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers on the same day, Botterill has started to assemble a decent forward core for next season and beyond. But after missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons of existence, the Kraken must continue pursuing top talent if they want to return to the postseason in 2026-27.
Kraken the Ice: Assessing Seattle’s Trade for Mackie Samoskevich, Bobby McMann Extension
Executing one of the most exciting days of transactions in the franchise's brief history, the Seattle Kraken made a bold move dealing a first round pick to Florida for 23-year-old Mackie Samoskevich and locked up their best scoring threat in Bobby McMann long-term.
Emerald City Spectrum writer Nick Lee examines the ramifications of dealing one of Seattle's two first rounders in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft for Samoskevich, discusses why the young forward fits with the team's current timeline, highlights all the positives of locking up McMann for the next six seasons, and explores what could be the next move coming for the front office with a former first round selection.
Kraken Check Off Big To-Do List Item, Re-Sign Bobby McMann to Six-Year Deal
While the Seattle Kraken as a team imploded down the stretch last season, it was certainly no fault of Bobby McMann. The Kraken swung a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the veteran’s services ahead of the trade deadline in March, sending a fourth round pick from this upcoming draft and a second rounder from 2027 to Toronto.
From the jump, it seemed like a match made in hockey heaven. McMann did his best impression of Wayne Gretzky in the first three games as a Kraken, totaling four goals and two assists. Even as that torrid pace cooled, he was the best offensive skater Seattle had for that final stretch of the season by a wide margin. Between the time McMann arrived in Seattle to the end of the regular season, McMann’s 10 goals was more than double the next closest Kraken skater, who was Jared McMann with four goals.
McMann’s total was also tied for 10th-highest in the entire NHL in that timeframe. He was one of the hottest goal-scorers in the league for that final 20-game stretch, providing a rare bright spot for a Kraken squad that struggled to score all year long as a team.
Trade! Kraken Deal 25th Overall Pick for Panthers’ Mackie Samoskevich
The 2026 NHL Draft begins this Friday, June 26 with the first round in Buffalo, New York. With the Seattle Kraken holding two first round picks and three top-40 picks overall, it was a safe assumption that they would be making and fielding trade offers to better their team before the festivities kick off.
The first salvo has been fired ahead of next weekend’s draft. According to reports on Sunday, the Seattle Kraken traded their 25th overall pick this year and a second rounder next season to the Florida Panthers for the services of winger Mackie Samoskevich.
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